


December Blues

by Memoirsofjane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU, Anxiety, Christmas, Depression, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Modern/Magic AU, Multi, PTSD, Rape/Non-con - Freeform, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-11 07:04:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12930039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memoirsofjane/pseuds/Memoirsofjane
Summary: Keith runs away from an abusive home and in the process meets people he can relate to. A story of love, friendship, and family with a sprinkle of angst and a dusting of magic.Christmas themed for December.





	1. Under the Pine Trees

The sickening crack of his foster fathers fist meeting his face left Keith reeling, tears of pain springing to his eyes and his ears ringing. He barely had a chance to register the shock before another fist slammed heavily into his stomach. His breath was torn violently from his lungs leaving him gasping desperately for air. He could feel deep purple bruises forming rapidly as he was punched repeatedly.  
  
"You little monster!" Screamed his foster father, spit foaming in the corners of his mouth, eyes red and popping from his rage, "I can't believe I welcomed a demon like you into this home."  
  
Deep seated fear began to pool in Keith's belly, thick and tar-like, it spread through his veins and seeped out of his pores. With his arms wrapped around his head defensively there was nothing he could do as his foster father kicked him to the ground and viciously stomped on his chest.  
  
"St-stop! Please," begged Keith, his voice small and broken as he gasped for his breaths,"I-I'll l-leave, please, p-please stop h-hurting me."  
  
His foster father stopped the beating long enough to let out a wild, cruel laugh and pulled a gun from the belt of his faded jeans, aiming it at Keith's head.  
  
"You are never leaving, demon," spat his foster father as he clicked the safety off.  
  
Panic sparked inside Keith and a roaring need to survive ignited his oily fear. Keith lunged at his foster father, knocking him back momentarily until the bigger man righted himself and planted a foot on Keith's ribs. As the cruel man took aim once more Keith did the only thing he had left to try, he took all his fear, hurt and anger and raised an open palm to the man as the emotions coalesced and burst forth from his open hand as a torrent of flame. His foster father tore away, his screams high pitched from the pain, and shot desperately towards Keith. One bullet grazed across Keith's outstretched right arm, and he pulled back, gasping in pain and shock.  
  
With adrenaline now coarsing through his veins, Keith stood up and bolted to his room, quickly grabbing the switch blade from under his bed and his knapsack from where it sat upon his old worn desk. As he ran back past the living room he could see his foster father rolling on the ground, skin burnt, as he tried to put out the flames. Keith took a shuddering gasp of breath before running out the door and fleeing into the night.

 

An hour later Keith was sitting at a bus terminal three towns over, shivering as he realised he had nowhere to go and nowhere to stay for the night. His distinctive white blonde hair glowed under the flickering fluorescent lights, his violet eyes downcast as he sat with his head between his knees sucking in deep breathes as best he could. Now that the adrenaline was dropping he could feel the deep bruises blooming along his chest, ribs and cheeks. With a pained sigh he pulled out his phone and googled for a place to stay. Luckily for him there was a small motel open nearby. Unlucky for him, unless he wanted to cut through the local pine forest he'd have to walk the long way around and he didn't know if he had it left in him to do so.  
  
Letting out a deep sigh he pushed himself unsteadily to his feet and began his trek down the road to the pine forest. By the time he got to the forest and started the walk down the beaten path he was stumbling from the effort, his head spinning and his chest tight. Grimacing in pain, he relented and sat down, leaning heavily against the trunk of one of the old pine trees. Pine needles blanketed the hard cold ground beneath him and scattered pine corns left half hidden lumps to trip unsuspecting victims in the dark. Keith breathed in the cold air, calmer now with the heady aroma of pine and earth gracing his nose. Exhaustion swept through his body, wrapping him tightly in its alluring embrace, urging him to sleep. Vaguely he noticed soft, fluffy snow flakes falling upon the ground, a gentle, frozen breeze swirling the flakes in flurries. Goosebumps rose to the surface of his alabaster skin and he wished he'd remembered to bring his coat as he'd fled his home. Pulling his knapsack closer to his side he dug through it until he found the black beanie he'd tucked in there and tugged it over his white locks trapping in a small amount of body heat. He pulled his knees up against his chest and wrapped his arms around them as best he could without disturbing the myriad of bruises coating his thin body.  
  
With his head resting against his arms he warmed up ever so slightly, just enough that he began to doze off. Despite the thoughts niggling at the back of his mind reminding him that if he fell asleep here he probably wouldn't reawaken, his body was too tired and he gradually drifted into a restless sleep.  
  
What felt like only moments later Keith blinked awake, eyes bleary and body shaking violently with the cold. Snow had built up around his Converse and melted, seeping through the canvas and chilling him further. With a deep groan he grabbed his knapsack and dragged himself to his feet. His frozen joints creaked as he slowly moved, walking himself along the beaten dirt path that wound through the dark forest. Some time during his brief nap the snow had stopped falling and was begin to settle delicately across the forest floor like a dusting of icing sugar on cake. The quick thought of cake sent a rumble through Keith's belly reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the day before. Pulling his phone from his pocket with thoughts of checking the time he realised that it was 4.30am and if he was lucky this small town would have a McDonalds open for breakfast shortly.  
  
With the thoughts of a warm meal and somewhere warm to sit Keith urged his stiff limbs forward. In his sudden burst of eagerness he missed the small knotted root sticking out across the dark path and promptly tripped over it, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud and knocking the breath from his lungs. The pain from landing flat on his face sent darkness swirling into his vision, his consciousness cracking and his mind spinning as he tried to push himself back to his feet. Gasping for breath he forced himself to sit, instantly regretting his decision as the black spots swarmed across his vision and succeeded in swallowing what was left of his determination to stay awake. Keith's consciousness had faded before his body even had the chance to thud boneless to the dirty, snow coated forest path.


	2. Ornamental Bruises

Shiro woke with a start, a vague nightmare chasing away any remnants of sleep. As his mind caught up with his body he became aware once again of his surroundings. He was in his bed, with its soft sheets and blanket, and the string of decorative yellow Christmas lights twinkling cheerfully above him. He took deep breathes, in and out, in and out, and willed his breathing to calm. As he slowly steadied his mind he gazed over to his phone and tapped it to reveal the time, 4.15am. With a sigh he got up, stripping his bed of its now sweat soaked sheets and threw them in the wash, then took the time to remake the bed with fresh ones. The routine helped to further ease his distressed mind.  


Walking to the kitchen Shiro grabbed himself a glass of water and downed it slowly while gazing out the window over the kitchen sink. He smiled happily at the sight of a light layer of snow on the ground and relished the idea of going for a jog in the nearby pine forest, the cold early morning air and pine needle smell a soothing remedy for his post traumatic stress disorder. Hurrying back to his room he quickly changed into his sweat pants, and thermal shirt, shoving a beanie over his sleep tousled hair, and grabbed his running jacket off the back of the bedroom door before he wandered over to the couch where he'd last kicked off his joggers. His pitch black kitten, Kuro, was curled up on one arm of the couch, happily sleeping near the vent for the heater. With a small smile he pulled on his joggers, gently stroked the top of Kuro's head, and grabbed his keys as he walked out the door.

The brisk jog to the pine forest was refreshing, banishing the remainder of his last nightmare and with it his unreasonable fear. The air was cold on his face, a soft breeze playing with the white tuft of fringe peeking out from the beanie that covered the rest of his black hair. His grey eyes shone brightly, a little glassy from the chill, but gazed around happily as he entered the forest. The best thing about jogging before 5am, Shiro thought to himself, was the peace and quiet and lack of other people to disturb the natural beauty of the early morning forest. He carefully jogged along the dirt path, watching for roots and stones that could be hidden in the dim light. His breaths puffed out of him in clouds of steam as he kept his calm pace.  


Shiro was about a third of the way into the forest when he saw the dark form sprawled across the path and slowed his jog as he came up to it. Realising that the form was a boy no older than 18, he knelt down and reached out towards him. Just as he placed a hand on the boys shoulder, the boy gasped, violet eyes wide in fear, and threw a hand up to spray fire towards Shiro's face. Despite the shock of the sudden warmth Shiro reached into the air around them and pulled the oxygen from where it surrounded the fire, snuffing it out before it could cause any harm. As quickly as the boy had jolted awake, he was once again slumped on the ground at Shiro's feet, his body small compared to Shiro's tall, muscular mass.  


The more Shiro gazed at the boy the worse off he seemed, dark bruises coated both sides of his face, his white hair was dirty where it peaked out from under his beanie, no doubt from him collapsing in the snowy dirt and he was hardly breathing. Tiny steam puffs burst from the boys mouth with increasing difficulty and it didn't take a genius to realise he'd been in the cold too long. Without a second though he scooped the boy into his arms, pulling him close to his chest for warmth, and ran home as fast as he could.  


Once through the door of his apartment Shiro laid the boy on his bed, pulling off his sodden shoes and clothes. He couldn't hide his shock at the sight of the deep bruises that had bloomed across the boys torso nor at the sight of the bullet wound that grazed the boys arm. Running to his bathroom Shiro grabbed the first aid kit, cleaning the wound and bandaging it quickly before throwing his warmest sweater over the smaller boy. The sweater was so big on the boy that it came to his knees and Shiro couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips when he realised how cute this stranger that he was tucking into his own bed was. Once the boy was tucked in, with a couple of extra blankets thrown over him just to be sure, Shiro stepped out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.  


"How do you get yourself into these things, Takashi?" He mumbled to himself as he set about boiling the kettle and organising a hot water bottle. As soon as the hot water bottle was ready he wrapped it in a pillowcase and walked back to the bedroom where he tucked it in against the sleeping boys chest. With a soft mumble the sleeping boy rolled over, wrapping his arms around the water bottle and clinging to it like it was a precious lover. Shiro smiled and once again stepped out of the room.  


Pulling out his phone with a sigh Shiro flopped onto his couch beside Kuro and tapped on the contact for his oldest friend, Allura. The phone rang against his ear a few times before she answered, her voice slurred with sleep.  


"Hello?"  


"Allura, hey, it's Shiro. I, umm, have a bit of an emergency and could use your help."  


"Mm, that's quite alright. I will be there shortly, but Shiro, are you alright?"  


"Yeah, Allura, I'm okay. See you soon."  


"Bye Shiro."  


With the click of Allura hanging up, Shiro dropped his phone against his chest and idly stroked Kuro's fur, eliciting a gentle rumbling purr from the kitten. Allura arrived quickly, a soft rapid knock on the door announcing her arrival. The brown skinned woman with long curly white hair stepped into the apartment and glanced around curiously.  


"So what is the emergency?" She asked, her voice clear and lovely now that she was awake.  


"I'll show you, don't be alarmed though, I didn't know what else to do," said Shiro quietly, leading Allura to his bedroom. As soon as Allura could see inside he added, "I found him half frozen and looking beaten within an inch of his life. He's one of us, Allura, I had to do something and I couldn't just take him to the hospital."  


Allura gaped at the boy, eyes wide as she took in his battered appearance. Her shock was so profound that her voice shook as she uttered her next words.  


"What the hell happened to him?"  


"No idea. He hasn't woken up in the last half an hour though he's warming up and his breathing has settled out," replied Shiro sadly.  


"May I?" Allura asked, nodding towards the boy.  


"Yeah, just be careful, he may throw fire if he's startled."  


"Well, that's a new one," Allura commented as she stepped into the room and sat beside the boy.  


Taking his hand gently into her own she reached towards him with her mind, her power seeking to understand his injuries. A golden light suffused her hand as she held the boys and she sensed within him three cracked ribs, a multitude of bruises including some faint internal bleeding as well as the gunshot graze. With a more concentrated burst of power she urged the golden light to bind to the boys ribs, knitting the cracked bones back together, before she turned towards the spots of internal bleeding and rebuilt the delicate tissues of his body, lastly she reduced the swelling of the bruises on the boys face and began the process of knitting the wound on his arm together. Reluctantly she pulled her power away, though it hurt her to know she couldn't take away all of his pain, before she drained herself completely.  


Placing the boys hand back under the blankets Allura stood and stumbled towards the kitchen where she knew Shiro would be making hot cocoa.  


"How is he?" Shiro inquired as she slumped gracelessly into a chair at the table.  


"He will be sore for a few days but he should make a full recovery physically. Mentally though, who knows, after what he looked like I don't think he's going to be in a good place," she commented with a yawn as Shiro handed her a warm cup of creamy cocoa.  


Shiro nodded as he drank his own, the warmth and sweetness soothing, and watched as Allura slowly drank hers.  


"The spare bed is free if you need a nap," he added as he watched her sip her drink.  


"Thank you, Shiro, I may just accept that offer."  


A smile came to Shiro's lips as he watched his old friend sip cocoa and recover from the use of her magic. Her eyelids were beginning to droop just as they heard the first groan of pain from Shiro's room.


	3. Cocoa and Fluffy Socks

Keith blinked as his consciousness swam lazily back to him. His body was warm, surrounded by fluffy softness and he was hugging a squishy ball of heat. Rolling over to lay on his back he stared at the ceiling, noticing the string of Christmas lights that twinkled over the head of the bed, and tried to collect his thoughts. Panic slammed into him like a tidal wave as he remembered the events of the night before and he jolted upright, groaning with pain from a splitting headache and the bruises covering his skin. This wasn't his room and the last place he remembered being was in the pine forest on the way to the motel, definitely not in a soft bed half naked wearing only his underwear and a strangers sweater.  


Hurried footsteps greeted his ears and he looked up to see two faces observing him from the doorway. A beautiful, lithe brown skinned woman with vibrant blue eyes and long white hair stood just behind a towering, well muscled man. The man's deep grey eyes studied Keith carefully, the thick scar running across the bridge of his nose crinkling slightly with his studious gaze. Keith frowned at them, setting his lips firm, and crossed his arms protectively over his chest.  


"Hey, you're awake," commented the man with a smile, "How do you feel?"  


"Sore. Who are you?" Keith replied bluntly.  


"To be expected with your injuries," the woman uttered, stepping forward, "I'm Allura, this is Shiro. Please, don't be alarmed. We mean you no harm."  


Shiro nodded in agreement while adding,"I found you passed out in the local pine forest. You're beaten up pretty badly and you were hypothermic. What, umm, happened to you...?" He paused, thoughtfully, unsure of what to call the teenager before them.  


"Keith, and I don't want to talk about it. I need to leave, now, before anyone else gets hurt."  


Keith pushed the blankets off and struggled to his feet, swaying as black spots swam into his vision and pain lanced sharply through his mind. Ignoring the pain, as well as Shiro and Allura, he looked around for his clothes before turning to them with a glare.  


"What did you do with my clothes?" He grumbled as Shiro stepped fully into the room.  


"They're in the wash. Please, sit down. We need to talk."  


Anxiety and frustration twisted at Keith's stomach. He could feel his cheeks heating as he crossed his arms over his chest once more and clung to the fabric of what he now realised had to be one of Shiro's sweaters. He shook his head, tears pricking at his eyes, and tried to reign in his reeling emotions. He couldn't stay here, he might hurt someone, or his foster father would find him and hurt them.  


"I c-can't. I need to go," he said, flinching away as Shiro placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  


"C'mon kid, we know about your...fire. We promise you won't hurt us and we can't send you out there like this. You'll end up hurting yourself more." Shiro's softly spoken words were curiously comforting to Keith's mind, helping to ease his alarm enough for him to nod in agreement and reluctantly sit back down on the bed.  


"How do you know about... me...?" Keith asked in a small voice, his body shaking slightly with his barely controlled emotions, and his eyes fixedly staring at the floor.  


"I accidentally startled you when I found you. You lashed out," said Shiro gently with a reassuring smile as Keith gasped in alarm, "don't worry though. See, Allura and I are like you too. We have our own "talents", hers is with healing and my own is an affinity with the air and wind. I put out your fire before it could even come near me."  


Keith swept his wide eyes to Allura and Shiro in turn, mouth gaping, surprise splashed openly across his face and stared at them. Realising what he was doing he turned away once again and muttered quietly, "I thought I was the only one."  


"No, Keith," said Allura in a warm and soothing voice, "There are a few of us, though rare, but we like to stick together. A family of sorts, if you please."  


Keith nodded, then raised the back of his hand to his mouth, stifling a sudden yawn. Noticing his fatigue Shiro gently encouraged Keith to go back to sleep, tucking the reluctant boy back into his blankets as he rapidly nodded off. Safety, reassurance and warmth, things that Keith had rarely felt surrounded him and he eagerly basked in the small delight that came from those feelings. As his mind drifted he heard Allura and Shiro leave, pulling the door half closed behind them with Allura quietly exclaiming, "I'm going shopping for him! He is in desperate need of warm clothes and I'm sure he'd love some soft fluffy socks!" Shiro's responding snort of laughter was the last thing Keith heard as he drifted back to sleep.

Several hours later Keith woke to the sweet smell of freshly baked bread and cracked a tentative smile. He could hear Allura and Shiro chatting away comfortably in the next room so despite his hesitation he pushed back the blankets and clambered out from the comfort of the bed. A low groan slipped from his lips as he realised that he was still only wearing Shiro's sweater and despite its length on his slim frame he still felt embarrassment at the lack of clothes. He hesitated at the door, unsure what he should do or say when he walked out to greet the people who had offered him shelter and saved him from a potentially deadly fate.  


Keith sighed as he felt an overwhelming crush of loneliness surge within his core and slumped against the wall behind the door. Sliding down to sit on the carpeted floor he looked around the room, desperately trying to distract himself from the emotions trying to spill out of his eyes once again. He refused to cry, not here, not now. He hadn't cried in years, not since he was taken from his father and left to the abusive monsters that were his foster carers. Eleven years with that "family" and it had never felt like home, he'd never felt cared for, nor safe or loved. He'd learnt that being alone and keeping to himself was the best way to avoid inciting his foster father's wrath or the emotional turmoil that came from his foster mother's tender hands and violent words.  


Keith wrapped his arms around himself, trying to soothe his rapidly beating heart, and tried to concentrate on the twinkling lights above the bed opposite him. He realised he was failing as his breaths continued to stick in his throat, refusing to reach his lungs. His heart fluttered rapidly and his vision blurred as he curled into himself, squeezing his arms around his body as he tried to shake off the dark, roaring fear that swirled around inside him. He felt heat burning his skin as his inner turmoil took over his thoughts. He was losing control again, and that did nothing to ease the rapidly growing panic.  


Wrapped up as he was in his dark thoughts, and hidden behind the door, it took time for him to realise that there were firm hands gently holding his shoulders. A soft cool breeze licked at his skin and soothed the heat that tried to ignite his delicate body. The person before him, Shiro he realised sluggishly, was chanting the same thing over and over.  


"Breathe, Keith, breathe. In and out, in and out, in and out."  


Awareness started to creep through Keith's darkened mind, he was being given something to focus on, Shiro's strong voice calming as he chanted over and over again. With a gesture that was supposed to be a nod but was more just a twitch of his neck Keith focused on the breathing. His gasping breaths became longer, unsticking from his throat, and reached into his lungs. As his breathing calmed he felt the pins and needles that had formed in his cheeks and lips, a tingling reminder that his panic was easing. Carefully he looked up at Shiro who offered him a kind, understanding smile. Suddenly uncomfortable at the presence of the man before him, Keith rubbed his left bicep and looked away his pale cheeks flushing with warmth.  


"Thanks," he mumbled uneasily, ashamed to have revealed so much emotion in front of a person he hardly knew.  


"It's okay, Keith," Shiro replied as he stood up and offered a hand to help Keith stand, "I get them too, but I know something that makes the aftermath a little better."  


"Yeah?" Keith inquired quietly, he'd always just felt like complete rubbish after having a panic attack. He'd never had someone to help him through them or who cared enough to help him be okay afterwards.  


"Yeah, hot cocoa!" Shiro grinned like that was the answer to all the problems in the world and Keith couldn't help but offer up a shaky smile at the man before him. "C'mon, let's go get some chocolate goodness into you!"  


Keith shook his head at the silliness of the older man, "I'm lactose intolerant, I can't."  


"Nonsense!" Said Shiro as he stepped out of the room, "that's what soy milk is for."  


Following Shiro into the kitchen was suddenly the best part of Keith's uneasy life. Allura was sleeping quietly, her head resting on her arms, at the cosy round table. As he sat beside her on a comfortable chair Shiro's kitten, Kuro, bounced up onto his lap and made himself home, purring contently as Keith idly scratched his fur. It didn't take long before Shiro placed a steaming mug of creamy cocoa before him as well as a small plate of the fresh bread, spread with warmed honey.  


"Thank you," Keith said quietly as he accepted the wonderfully simple meal. Shiro nodded happily as he watched the teen eat.  


"You're welcome," he replied then added carefully, "You should stay here for a few days, until you're completely healed."  


Surprise registered on Keith's face before he quickly reeled the emotion in and frowned lightly. "Are you sure?"  


"100%," mumbled Allura from beside him, "Shiro never does anything unless he wants to."  


Suddenly she perked up as she realised who she was talking too and launched herself beside the table to grab a bag from her feet.  


"Look! I got you clothes, and the best part, these adorable socks!" She exclaimed excitedly, handing the bag to Keith as she held out a fluffy black and red stripped pair of knee high socks.  


Rummaging through the bag he found a new pair of red Converse, two pairs of black skinny jeans, a few black shirts in varying styles, a red and white bomber jacket, a thick knitted red and white scarf as well as a new overcoat, a pair of doc martens and as Allura had claimed: socks. There were several pairs including a thick red pair, a couple of black pairs and the fluffy red and black ones.  


"Thank you," muttered Keith, uncomfortably, "but why do this for me?"  


"Because I can," said Allura with a shrug of her shoulders and a cheeky grin, "and because you're one of us. That makes you family, and I always take care of my family."  


Shock consumed Keith, rapidly taken over by embarrassment, so he thanked Allura with his face burning and stared at the mug of cocoa in his hands. Shiro let out a low laugh and smiled kindly, turning back to Allura as her phone began to ring.  


"It's Lance," she claimed with a soft smile as she walked from the room and answered the call.


	4. Must Have Ugly Sweaters!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Lancey Lance and the gang!

"I don't want a lot for Christmas,  
There is just one thing I need.  
I don't care about the presents  
Underneath the Christmas tree.  
I just want you for my own,  
More than you could ever know!  
Make my wish come true, oh!  
All I want for Christmas is you..."

Lance sung loudly, eyes squeezed shut in the moment, as he held the shampoo bottle to his lips and serenaded the shower. Bronze skin shone with dewy light as he finished his song and his shower, stepping out and wrapping a fluffy blue towel around his hips. Clear, dark blue eyes gazed back at him as he studied himself in the mirror. He brushed a hand through his damp, chocolate brown hair causing it to stand up on end and laughed lightly as he leaned forward to admire the freckles that were scattered like a dusting of cinnamon across his nose and cheek bones. Taking a small pump of moisturiser he massaged it gently into his skin, blending it in comforting circles until it had soaked in. He hummed to himself cheerfully as he brushed his teeth, taking his time to make sure they were perfectly clean. Satisfied with his beauty routine he stepped out of the bathroom and into the shared living room.

Pidge looked up as Lance walked into the room, rolling her eyes, and threw him a mock disgusted glare.

"Dude, put some clothes on, sheesh!" She complained sarcastically from where she sat curled up on the couch with her laptop. Warm brown tights, a thick green and cream hooded sweater and long cream socks ensured her petite form was cosy and snug. Her tousled light brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her glasses were pushed up to rest atop her head as she tapped away busily.

"You can't even see me!" Lance exclaimed while shaking his head with a laugh.

"Don't need to, I've lived with you long enough for it to be etched painfully into my mind."

"Aww, good to know you like to think about me," Lance teased as he walked to his bedroom. Pidge's only response was to gag loudly, repulsed.

Lance ripped off the towel when he entered the room, flopped himself down on his bed and lay there, naked as the day he was born, contemplating what to wear. He jiggled his foot restlessly as he thought about what he'd be doing for the day before deciding on decorating the house and maybe calling Allura to see if she wanted dinner tonight. Pleased with his plan he jumped up and danced to the closet.

Lance loved winter and the multitude of layers and fashions he could wear. Today he settled for something simple. Slipping on a pair of blue and grey stripped trucks, he stood for a moment and tapped his right foot while he decided between two different shades of blue jeans. Deciding on the dark wash skinnies, he tugged them on, sucking his belly in as tight as he could while he buttoned them up. Pulling on a slim cut, white tee shirt and a soft blue, cable knit cardigan he nodded happily. Grabbing a pair of thick white socks from his drawers he slipped them onto his feet, wiggling his toes as the soft warmth embraced them.

By the time Lance stepped out of his room he could hear the sizzling sound of frying bacon coming from the kitchen. The heady aroma encouraged a deep rumble from his stomach and he stepped into the kitchen to help his best friend with breakfast.

"Morning Hunk," he greeted cheerfully as he walked over to begin toasting bread.

"Good morning, did you sleep alright?" acknowledged Hunk with a smile. At 6 foot tall and broader than most men you'd be forgiven for thinking Hunk could be a little intimidating however the moment he opened his mouth nothing but kindness and care could ever be associated with the man.

"Man, I slept like a log," replied Lance, "and you?"

"Yeah, good. So what's the plan for today? I'm thinking of baking some cookies, Christmassy ones of course!"

"Yes to all the cookies," exclaimed Lance nodding enthusiastically, "Plus it's December, Hunk, I need to decorate this house. And today, my friend, shall be the day it comes alive!"

Hunk chuckled at Lance's antics as he pulled crispy bacon from the pan and worked on making up the scrambled eggs. A dash of pepper, some finely chopped parsley and plenty of careful stirring ensured his eggs turned out fluffy and delicious. As Lance buttered toast while humming Christmas carols to himself, Hunk called for Pidge to come set the table and set about making coffee for her and tea for Lance and himself. Pidge shuffled into the room, mumbling to herself, and pottered about setting the plates and cutlery for the three of them. Lance set the buttered toast in a bread basket in the centre of the table then grabbed the plate of bacon and dish of scrambled eggs while Pidge grabbed condiments and Hunk brought over their drinks. With the table set the trio sat happily together and eagerly helped themselves to their breakfast.

Lance broke their reverent eating as an idea popped into his head. A gasp burst from his lips and his eyes lit up like it was the best thing he'd ever thought of.

"Oh my god, guys! We have to dress up in Ugly Sweaters for Christmas!"

"Nope, not happening," was Pidge's instant response as Hunk just shook his head while chuckling.

"Oh, c'mon! It'll be fun!" Lance cried between mouthfuls of eggs.

"Mortifying is probably the better word," Pidge commented dryly as she nursed her coffee in her hands. Lance let out a pitiful moan at her remark and she added thoughtfully, "Though if you can get Allura and Shiro in on it then I suppose we could."

Letting out a loud whoop Lance jumped to his feet, full of excitement. Hunk watched the two of them with a quiet smile as he continued to eat his breakfast.

"I'm gonna decorate this place then call Allura. Hunk, have those cookies ready asap!"

"Don't worry buddy, cookies are coming up straight after breakfast," said Hunk with a warm smile at his excited friend.

Pidge wandered back to the couch and her laptop as soon she was finished eating, mumbling something about making an appropriate Christmas playlist and ensuring their lights were programmed to her satisfaction. Lance spent the next three hours after breakfast running around the apartment with a wide variety of Christmas decorations. He set the Christmas tree in the far corner of the living room, tucked away beside the TV and wrapped it in sparkling rainbow lights and baubles. Tinsel was strung up above the archway that lead to the kitchen and a large decorative wreath now adorned their front door. Small clusters of ornamental statues of reindeer, trees and pine cones sat in the spare corners of their bookshelf. Overall, Lance felt very proud of his effort, satisfied that their apartment now looked like it belonged in the season. With a smirk he looked over to Pidge, about to ask for her opinion and noticed she was completely engrossed in her own work. Sneaking up behind her he willed flakes of ice to form on the palms of his hands and brought them together to blow the ice across the back of the couch.

"Lance!" Pidge cried, clutching her laptop protectively as snowflakes scattered over her head and shoulders in a flurry. Lance cackled wildly and rolled around on the floor in a fit of laughter. "I will bind your feet to the next tree you climb!"

Rolling her eyes, she brushed snowflakes off of her clothes and returned to her work. As Lance calmed down the sounds of Christmas carols started to play softly throughout the apartment. Combined with the decorative apartment and the smell of gingerbread baking in the kitchen, Lance felt like he had gone to heaven, the only way his day could get better was if he was with Allura. With that thought he picked himself up from the floor and headed back to his room, phone in his hand calling out "Gonna see if 'Lura wants to have dinner together tonight." He flopped down on his bed, relaxed, and dialled Allura's number. It rang for a few seconds before she answered.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounded soft and tired, the way Lance knew she sounded only after she'd used a lot of her power.

"Hey 'Lura. You alright? I wanted to see if you want to have dinner tonight but you sound exhausted."

"I'm okay Lance. I'm with Shiro, there's a bit of a situation here actually. I'll fill you in later, okay?"

Lance's thoughts rushed through him as he thought of Shiro and his traumatic past as well as the panic attacks he sometimes had. If Allura sounded this concerned then he needed to be there to support them both.

"We'll be there shortly. Hunk is baking cookies. I'll see you soon," said Lance quickly before he hung up and ran to the living area.

"Guys, situation at Shiro's. How long until the cookies are ready Hunk?"

"They just finished baking, so a couple of hours at the most. Can we wait that long?"

"I think so, Allura sounded tired but not distressed. I think we have time, we can go after lunch and distract them for the afternoon."

"Agreed," Pidge pipped up and Hunk made a sound of agreement from the kitchen. Lance threw himself on the couch beside Pidge and pulled out his phone. Together they sat playing games until Hunk was ready to leave, completed cookies packaged for delivery to their worn out friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credit: All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
> 
> We all know Lance is a bubbly ball of Christmas spirit.


	5. Melting Snow

Keith startled as the loud ping of Allura's phone broke through the quiet atmosphere in Shiro's small apartment. He was sitting on the sofa, a plush mottled grey blanket thrown over his lap, with Kuro purring contently at his side. Shiro was sitting at the other end of the couch, a pair of glasses now gracing his face, peacefully reading a book. Allura was having a nap in the spare room after announcing that some friends would be over in a few hours. Keith had rapidly sunk into himself, uncomfortable at the thought of meeting more new people, until Shiro had told him they were the other people they knew who had powers. Noticing that Keith was still uneasy despite his reassurance he'd suggested watching some Netflix on the couch while Allura had her nap. Keith accepted the idea, appreciating the offer of a distraction from his anxiety.

  
"Hey Keith?" inquired Shiro carefully, placing his book down and looking at the boy.

  
"Yeah?" Keith swiped his white bangs from his eyes as he tore his attention away from the TV. He could see the curiosity in Shiro's eyes, the slight turn of his lips as he gave a reassuring smile.

  
"I was wondering, umm, how old are you?"

  
The question was entirely unexpected. Of all the things Shiro could have asked him, this was not what he'd prepared for.

  
"19."

  
"Oh, really?" Shiro let out a nervous breath. "I thought you might be a minor. Does your family know where you are?"  
Keith's expression grew dark at Shiro's question, thoughts swirling in his head of what he should say, of what he could bring himself to say. His hands balled up into fists and he urged himself to take a calming breath. It was an innocent enough question, of course Shiro would want to know.

  
"No, they don't. I don't have a family."

  
"Oh," a somber expression rested on Shiro's face as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with his right hand. "I'm sorry."

  
"It's okay," muttered Keith with a sigh of relief when Shiro didn't pry further. He looked over at the man, whose black long sleeve shirt had pulled up at the wrist, and noticed for the first time that at least part of his right arm was mechanical. A high tech prosthetic that would likely only be found in military labs.

  
"What happened to your arm?" He asked quietly, instantly regretting the question as Shiro's eyes went wide and he tugged the sleeve of his shirt back down, fumbling with the hem at his wrist. With the sleeve back down it once again looked like Shiro just wore an odd glove on the right hand, not as though he was trying to hide a part of himself.

  
"A biomedical engineering division within the government decided to experiment when I lost my arm to an IUD in Afghanistan. Word of my abilities got out when I used them to save my squadron, and the researchers we were protecting, from being blown to pieces. I managed to escape eventually though not without some enhancements I didn't ask for."

  
Shiro explained his story with pain splashed across his face. He pushed his glasses atop his head, white bangs shoved back behind them, and pinched his nose between his eyes as he took calming breaths before he looked back at Keith.

  
"I won't let that happen to any of us again. We are more than science experiments. We deserve to live freely, to be left in peace," Shiro's expression was firm as he spoke to Keith. "If you have no where to go then you should stay with us. There's safety in numbers, and we look after each other like family. Think about it, okay?"

  
"Okay," Keith nodded after a moment. It would be nice to find people who cared for him, and he them, but his walls were thick and strong and he wasn't ready to let them down just yet. He could think about the offer though.

  
Another ping from Allura's phone echoed around the apartment and this time the sounds of her moving about in the spare room could be heard as she responded to the messages.

  
"They'll be here in five," she called out from the spare room.

  
"It'll be okay, Keith," reassured Shiro as he noticed the teen's uneasy expression, "They really are good people."

  
Keith nodded, his purple bruise mottled face schooled to show no emotion. His dirty white hair was unkempt, he hadn't yet managed to feel comfortable enough to have a shower, and clung limp to his face and neck. He had managed to get changed into a pair of black jeans, an equally black shirt and to Allura's utter delight the knee high black and red stripped socks. His skin no longer had the unnatural blue tone of someone too cold and though he certainly didn't look healthy with all the bruises marring his skin he did have some natural pink flushed across his cheeks. Suddenly he turned to face Shiro, opening his mouth, shutting it again quickly, then opening it again to finally ask his question.

  
"So how old are you, Shiro?"

Shiro snorted out a laugh of surprise then smiled broadly.

  
"6," he replied as his grin turned cheeky.

  
"What?" Keith looked at him dumbfounded and Shiro laughed again.

  
"I'm born on February 29, so I've only had six birthdays," explained Shiro, watching as the information clicked into place in Keith's mind and the boy suddenly lit up with understanding, "though I've been around the sun 26 times."

  
Keith nodded, a slight smile forming on his lips and was just about to make a comment when the doorbell rang. Instantly he withdrew into himself, crossing his arms over his chest and frowned suspiciously at the door.

  
"I'll get it," yelled Allura as she stepped into the room, her pink and white maxi dress swaying with her hips. A small smile adorned her face and she'd pulled her hair into a large bun atop her head revealing the amethyst droplets dangling elegantly from her delicately pointed ears. Her smile grew wider when she answered the door and allowed a trio of friends to enter the apartment.

  
"Allura, my love, not even the heavens are as beautiful as you," claimed a smooth talking bronze skinned man as soon as he stepped though the door. A fake gagging noise came from the small girl who entered directly behind him and a chuckle came from the hulk of a man who wandered in just after her.

  
"Please Lance," said Allura bashfully, "we have company."

  
"Shiro isn't company," complained Lance with a pout just as the girl beside him stomped on his foot. "Ow, Pidge, what the hell?"

  
He followed Pidge's gaze over to where Keith sat beside Shiro, eyes growing wide when he spotted him. With all the attention making him uncomfortable, Keith pulled his knees up to his chest, and looked imploringly to Shiro.

"Guys, this is Keith," explained Shiro in his calm, reassuring voice, "He's going to be staying with me for a while."

  
"What the hell happened to you?" Lance quietly asked, as he watched the awkward looking bruise covered boy, instantly earning himself a frown from his friends.

  
"None of your business," Keith shot back curtly.

  
"Geez, dude, was just curious," Lance fired in return, riling up.

  
"Well take your curiousity elsewhere!" Keith grumbled, uncomfortable with being questioned, again, by someone he didn't know.

  
"Fine, I won't care about you then," Lance retorted, immediately regretful as Keith shot him a brief look of hurt before standing up and storming out the door to the apartment's balcony.

  
"What the hell, Lance?" Exclaimed Pidge as soon as Keith had left, "You didn't need to interrogate him!"

  
Lance frowned at her as Hunk added, "She's right, man, we hadn't even introduced each ourselves. We're complete strangers to him."

  
Lance sighed, shoulders drooping as it dawned on him that he'd been in the wrong, commenting painfully, "I guess I should go apologise to him then."

  
"No," said Shiro, shaking his head sadly, "Let me talk to him. He's not really comfortable with anyone yet."

  
As Shiro stood and left the room, Allura wrapped her arms around Lance's waist and gently kissed the back of his neck before whispering, "Don't worry, babe, he'll come around but you really need to learn some tact." A deep sigh was Lance's reply as Hunk wandered to the kitchen with his cookies and Pidge followed with a claim that she needed more coffee.

 

Out on the balcony Keith stood staring at melting snow as it dripped off the rails to the ground many floors below. Steam billowed from where his hands grasped the rails, knuckles white, as his emotions whirled inside him, causing his chest to tighten painfully, and his vision tunnelled onto the dripping snow. Lance was right, he thought darkly, no one would care about him. He was wrong to think that just because Shiro had found him and taken him in that maybe there were people out there who would genuinely care. It wasn't going to happen, he had to admit it to himself, he was always alone.

  
Keith continued to stare moodily at the snowdrops even when he heard the balcony door slide open and close again quietly. He didn't look up as he felt the presence of a larger body beside his, ignoring Shiro's silent attempt at comfort with a warm breeze emanating from the man to embrace Keith's cooling skin, and focused firmly on the depressing feelings within him.

  
"Lance has no tact," Shiro started quietly, "He means well though and he does care, that's why he asked you what happened. He just wants to make sure you're okay, even if he doesn't know you yet. We'd all like to know what happened when you're ready to tell us. We'd like to help you through whatever it is you're suffering with on your own."

  
Keith tilted his head towards Shiro's face, white hair framing his features, his eyes shining with a multitude of pained emotions. He looked so scared and small as he stood in silence, wispy steam curling around his hands. Shiro didn't hesitate for a second as he placed his left hand reassuringly on Keith's shoulder. When Keith didn't flinch away this time he squeezed gently.

  
"You don't have to do this alone."

  
"Thank you," sighed Keith, voice cracking with tumultuous emotions.

  
"C'mon," encouraged Shiro gently when they'd stood in silence long enough that they were both starting to shiver despite the warm air Shiro had been wrapping around them, "Let's go back inside. Hunk brought cookies, I guarantee you'll love them, he's the best baker around."

  
Nodding softly, Keith allowed himself to be steered inside by the hand Shiro had left on his shoulder, distorted emotions starting to melt away like the snow as he realised that maybe some people would care after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kind words everyone! 
> 
> I've formatted the chapters slightly so hopefully it's easier on the eyes now. 
> 
> Let's continue this roller coaster of a Christmas ride!
> 
> As always I'm available on tumblr @memoirs-of-jane


	6. Peppermint Delights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in this chapter guys!  
> I'm getting swamped with uni work, being sick and just life in general.  
> I'll try and update more often again soon! 
> 
> In the mean time, enjoy some Hunk.
> 
> Miss Jane xo

Hunk smiled to himself as he mixed together the frosting for his recently baked cupcakes. Several days had passed since he had first met Keith and he was pleased to know that he also loved his baking. Seeing just how thin the pale, white haired teen had been had brought out something maternal within Hunk and he'd been regularly dropping by Shiro's with delightful little food packages. Today would be red velvet cupcakes with a swirl of white frosting and a scattering of candy canes that he had crushed into small pieces. He hoped the small token of Christmas cheer would encourage the quiet teen to open up to them a little more.

Finally finishing the cupcakes, Hunk carefully placed them inside one of his many cupcake carriers and stood back to take a quick snap of his work. Sending the image to Shiro with a "Will be over shortly with these babies!" he quickly tidied up the kitchen, stacking the dishwasher and setting it going. Walking out to the living room he called over to the stack of blankets holding a laptop on the couch.

"Hey Pidge, I'm gonna head out to Shiro's shortly. Wanna come with?"

"Nah, not today man. I'll catch up with you guys later," she responded without taking her eyes off the laptop for a second, fingers continually dancing across the keyboard as she inevitably hacked her way into another government server.

"Sure thing, call us if anything comes up though."

"Yeah, man."

With the conversation coming to a holt Hunk shrugged his shoulders and wandered into his room to grab a thick brown double breasted coat and a knitted yellow scarf to wear on the walk to Shiro's. The weather had been cool lately, fresh layers of snow repeatedly falling during the dark nights to leave their town looking like a sparkling winter wonderland, cold and beautiful. He quickly bundled on his warmer clothing, pulling on a thick pair of brown leather boots too before returning to the kitchen to grab his cupcakes. As soon as he was ready he gave Pidge a cheery goodbye and wave and wandered out the door.  


Despite spending the last two winters in the chilly town he felt he'd never quite get used to it. He missed the warmth of his family home and the sand between his toes as he ran across the white sand beaches to flop into the turquoise ocean with his cousins.

For all his life Hunk had grown up in American Samoa, enjoying the traditional life of his family and culture. His small island in the pacific had been tranquil, life simple and filled with raucous joy. Until an earthquake deep within the ocean pulled the sea from his island and tossed it back across the shore with a roar that tore buildings and life from his home. He could remember running from the shore in a panic as the ocean came hurtling towards him and tripping over his own feet. Raising his hands above his face as if he could beg the ocean to give him mercy as fear sent his heart stuttering in his chest. Then suddenly he felt the earth around him as though it was alive, the dirt and rocks beneath him humming with vibrant voices in his head, and felt his own soul connect to Mother Earth. A dome of solid rock had surrounded him just as the giant wave was about to crash over his head. Outside the solid earth he heard the thud and roar as the forceful ocean tried to uproot his protection unsuccessfully. Through his hands, where the sand trickled between his fingers he could feel the planets soul, protecting him, as though Mother Earth was hugging him. He couldn't remember falling asleep in the dome, lulled by the earths peacefully humming in his mind, but he does remember waking in a hospital bed and the force of emotions he felt upon finding out he'd been the only survivor from his small island.

The warning hum from Mother Earth rung sharply through Hunk's mind, bringing him out of his reverie, just as he was about to walk into a tree. He laughed subtly to himself, and hummed a thank you to the presence he constantly felt at the back of his mind. After his recovery he had fled what was left of American Samoa like many others and came to the mainland for the first time. There were so many people here that he was able to hide himself away, finishing high school and applying to study mechanical engineering at university, and seek a semblance of normalcy once more.

Gently shifting the cupcakes in his hands, Hunk gazed around pulling himself from thoughts of his past and sought his location in the present. With a smile he realised he was only a block away from Shiro's and picked up his pace, hurrying himself along, eager to get away from the frozen wonderland he was currently walking through. He hummed a gentle tune that he'd managed to pick him from Mother Earth that reminded him of warm sunshine hitting sand and felt the small knot of sadness in his chest start to unravel.

Hunk gasped with surprise when the door at Shiro's opened and Keith's white hair greeted him. He smiled at the teen, glad to see he at least felt comfortable enough to be opening the door now, and walked in. The warmth from the apartment soaked into his frozen face bringing welcome relief from the cold that he'd been in.

"Hey Keith, how are you going?" He asked as he walked to Shiro's kitchen table to put down the cupcakes.

"Umm, okay," Keith replied as he eyed off Hunk's container with interest.

"That's good, I made red velvet cupcakes. Was feeling festive, figured you guys might want to try them."

"Yeah," muttered Keith quietly, the edges of his lips curling up slightly.

As Hunk took his coat and scarf he carefully looked Keith over, checking how he was healing, and trying to gauge if he was uncomfortable. He noticed the bruises on Keith's face and arms had started to develop green beneath the purple and blue, a welcome sign that they would heal within the next couple of weeks. Shuffling over to make tea, a thought popped into his head.

"Where's Shiro?" he asked curiously as he pulled mugs out and placed them on the counter while the kettle boiled.

"Asleep, I didn't want to wake him coz he'd been up most of the night," said Keith with a soft gaze towards Shiro's room, and yep, that was definitely a small smile too. Hunk nodded happily at his new friend.

"I'm guessing you didn't sleep since you know he was awake."

"No."

Keith turned away from Hunk, arms crossing over his chest as he leant against the wall. Conversation over, Hunk could take a hint and didn't pry further. He continued with the ritual of making tea for himself and Keith, humming lightly as he worked. He knew Keith was watching him intently from his place against the wall yet didn't feel uncomfortable under the observation. Carefully he walked the steaming mugs of tea to the kitchen table and opened the cupcake carrier. Keith let out a gasp and hurried over.

"Is that candy cane?" He asked incredulously as he picked up a cupcake.

"Yeah. I wanted to make them a little more Christmas themed for the holidays."

"Awesome, that's awesome. I love candy canes, only good thing about Christmas really, candy canes are amazing."

Hunk had never seen Keith so animated about, well, anything and so nudged the conversation along gently.

"So you like peppermint things then?"

"Yes," he mumbled thickly through the bite of cake he'd just taken, "this is so good!"

Hunk chuckled lightly and took a bite of his own cupcake.

"Thank you. I'll have to make you some mint hot chocolate next time we all get together, and maybe some mint slice or a cake, oh! Maybe fudge, hmm."

The rapid thoughts of ingredients and recipes running through his mind had him completely distracted until Keith spoke again quietly.

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course!"

He answered with the biggest smile he had, if baking peppermint sweets made Keith happy then how could he ever say no? Hunk watched in awe as Keith shot a shy smile towards him, the soft happiness lighting up his whole face. He was humbled to be able to bring his new friend joy through something he loved so much. He watched as Keith opened his mouth to speak again, noticing the quiet happiness in his voice.

"Thank you."


	7. Dysphoria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Rape/non-con. Please only read this chapter if you are okay with the risk.

Keith ran through dimly lit streets a powerful need to survive coursing through his veins. He could hear heavy footsteps thudding closer and closer no matter how fast he urged his legs to go. Despite the inevitable he kept on, fear flaring in place of his survival instincts, blindly running through streets he no longer recognised. Rounding the corner of the alley he'd been sprinting down he was suddenly faced with a solid wall. Terror surged through him and he rapidly looked around seeking an escape route. Realising there was none he turned around to face the footsteps behind him. His foster father slowly walked towards him, crisp burnt patches of skin peeling from his body revealing oozing pink and yellow wounds, a twisted grin set upon his face. Hatred radiated from the man as he continued his steps forward.

"This time I'll finish the job," he growled at Keith.

Keith cowered in the back of the alley as the man came towards him. He watched through his white bangs as his foster father raised his gun towards his head again, that twisted grin widening into a sickening snarl, and wrapped his arms around himself. Tears sprang to his eyes as he heard his foster father stop and he tried desperately to call his fire to protect himself but it had forsaken him. He let out a shriek of fear as he heard the gun fire.

Keith screamed as his eyes snapped open, flailing limbs tangled in his bedding, confusion flooding through his panicked mind as he realised he wasn't dead. The dark room lit up with warm yellow light as the door to the room opened allowing Shiro to step cautiously into the room. Keith didn't even register as Shiro sat on the edge of the bed, calmly whispering soothing words to the terrified teen beside him.

Keith had pulled his knees up to his chest, his white hair sweat coated and plastered to his bruised, tear stained face. He laboured to suck down breaths that stuck in his throat and refused to fully enter his lungs. His whole body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably. The panic in his system completely overwhelming him. He didn't register the black spots entering his vision, his breaths too rapid and shallow to pass oxygen to his brain, and his limbs tingling with increasing numbness. Abruptly he sucked in one last desperate breath and his body gave out causing him to tumble sideways off the edge of his bed.

Shiro lunged forward, catching Keith in his arms before he could hit the ground and lifted him fully out of bed. He carried the thin teen to his bedroom, where the warm yellow Christmas lights twinkled protectively, and tucked him into his own bed. Carefully checking for signs that Keith was starting to breathe normally again he let out a sigh of relief and watched the rise and fall of the smaller man's chest with a shy smile. In the two weeks since he'd found Keith this had been the routine most nights. If Keith fell asleep before him then he'd inevitably wake up screaming, freak out, and was brought into Shiro's room where he wouldn't wake alone in the dark again.

Carefully, Shiro laid beside Keith positioning himself on top of the comforter and pulled the thick mink blanket at the end of the bed over his body. As he closed his eyes and started drifting off to sleep he couldn't help but smile as he felt Keith roll over and press his face into Shiro's side. Shiro slung a gentle arm over the sleeping man and allowed himself to doze off.

Keith woke up the next morning with Shiro's arms wrapped around him. For a moment he allowed himself peace, enjoying safety and warmth with the person he'd come to trust, until the nightmare crashed to the front of his mind and ruined the moment. Feeling the heat of fire swirl under his skin as his emotions started to become unstable he wriggled out of Shiro's arms and wandered into the bathroom. There he stripped naked, casting a quick glance in the mirror only to be met with the image of his pale body marred by blue, green, and yellow bruises. He knew they were getting better but he still hated them, hated why they were there in the first place and the person who had put them there. He grazed his fingers over the scabbed ridge along his right arm, making sure the healing bullet wound hadn't cracked during the night. Tearing his eyes away from the mirror he stumbled towards the shower, turning the water on and waiting for it to heat up enough for him to enter.

Keith didn't have the energy to stand in the shower so he slumped against the tiled wall with the water streaming over his face. He could still feel fire licking at his veins, fuelled by his unease, contained by his efforts to control his emotions. Focusing on the flickering sensation under his skin he opened his right hand palm towards the ceiling and willed a small flame into existence. The corners of his lips twitched upwards as the flame briefly flickered to life before being snuffed out by the water tumbling from the shower head. The knowledge that he could still call his fire helped detangle the knot that had been twisting in his stomach.

Moving himself away from the water in the shower Keith called his fire over and over again despite the fatigue clawing at his mind. Curiousity had snared his interest and slowly he began to learn more of what he could do with his fire. Upon realising that he could shoot small balls of flame he turned to the streaming shower head and flicked little balls at the water. Thick bursts of steam ruptured from the spray of water, hissing angrily as it evaporated, quickly fogging up the bathroom.

A gentle laugh slipped from Keith's lips as he delighted in the control over his fire. As soon as it had escaped though a wave of dizziness swept over him as his fatigue wrestled for his consciousness. Admitting defeat he crawled weakly towards the taps, turning the shower off from where he sat on the ground before dragging himself out of the shower. Grabbing for a towel he bundled himself into its fluffy embrace and dried himself off with a jaw cracking yawn. Carefully he pulled on a pair of clean boxers and an oversized shirt that he vaguely realised wasn't actually his before stumbling out of the bathroom and back to his bed where he flopped unceremoniously onto the covers, asleep before his head hit the pillows.

The next time Keith woke three things registered in his mind. One, he had accidentally wandered back to Shiro's bed instead of his own. Two, at some stage he'd been tucked in beneath the blankets. And three, he could hear the voices of Shiro and a few of his friends out in the living room so there was no hiding that he'd come to sleep in Shiro's bed. With a sigh he threw the blankets off and resigned himself to the odd looks that would come from the people who had started to call him family.

As Keith walked out of the bedroom Shiro turned towards him with a smile.

"Morning Keith," he called out in his usual calming voice.

"Morning."

"Keith, my man, we were totally just talking about Christmas!" Cried Lance as he bounced excitedly from where he sat on the arm of the couch. "We're gonna have a party, drink some booze, let off some steam! It's gonna be great!"

"Oh."

"And Christmas Day everyone will get together and Hunk will make the best food and there'll be presents. Trust me, it'll be awesome," Lance continued excitedly.

"Mmm."

Keith crossed his arms over his chest and tried to keep any expression from his face. While Lance and everyone else had a party and spent time together he'd be alone as usual with no one to spend it with and no one who cared. He hadn't had a real Christmas since he'd been taken away from his father. His foster mother had always cheerfully greeted him first thing Christmas morning but then they'd go out for the day and by the time they got back she'd escape to her room and hide while her husband sought him out.

Keith remembered last Christmas and tried not to shudder at the memory. His foster father had been blind drunk, stumbling loudly through the house while he hid in his room hoping to be left alone. His lights were off and he was pretending to sleep when his foster father had shoved his way into the room and stomped over to Keith. The man had reeked of a mix of brandy and cigarettes and leaned over the teen as if to check that he was actually asleep. Keith laid there, trying to breathe steadily, and kept as still as possible hoping that if the man thought he was asleep then perhaps he'd be spared his cruelty for the night. Instead he had a rough hand trail it's way across his arse, rubbing gently until it found the waist of his pants and began to pull them down. With subtle movements Keith had rolled over, trying to protest the motions without angering the beast of a man above him.

Despite Keith's attempts to move away his foster father had kept on, eventually grunting in frustration and tearing the pants down the seam in his bid to get them off the teen. Keith could remember protesting, begging for the man to stop, but the man just wrapped a hand around his throat and pushed him face down onto the bed. Trying to lash out at the towering man while pinned down by his neck was futile but Keith did just that, terrified of what was about to happen if he didn't. Upon the feeling of his foster fathers fingers entering him he froze, nausea welling up in his stomach and tears coming to his eyes at the stinging pain as the man he hated roughly pumped the fingers around. He felt momentary relief when the fingers were pulled out only to scream into the pillow his head had been forced into as he felt his foster father shove deep inside of him. He felt the tear as his foster father groaned and pumped inside the tight hole. Crying freely, Keith begged the man to stop, to pull out, to leave him alone, only to earn black spots dancing around his vision as the man squeezed tighter against his throat. At the sound of his choking the older man pulled out, grunting with aggressive pleasure before spilling himself over the boy's raw arse. As soon as he was done he pulled himself off the boy and stumbled out of the room, leaving Keith to himself, curled up and crying in agony.

"Keith. Keith. Hey, come back to us Keith," Shiro's gentle voice grazed against his ears and he looked up to see a very blurry Shiro frowning at him. "What's wrong?"

Keith shook his head, smudging tears across his face before turning around and running to the bathroom. He stumbled to the toilet, heaving as the memory refused to leave his mind, and threw up the contents of his stomach along with his frayed emotions. His mind reeled as he continued throwing up and he could vaguely hear Lance is the background saying something about Keith being included in the plans and hoping that he wasn't upset because he was definitely coming to Christmas with them, he simply had to.

Shiro's footsteps entering the bathroom caused Keith to look up miserably from the toilet bowl. He flushed it quickly and swiped his forearm across his mouth before turning to face the quiet man beside him. The caring, worried look in Shiro's eyes had Keith mumbling before he could catch himself.

"M-my f-foster father was, is, a c-cruel man. L-last Christmas I wa-was alone in my r-room and h-he c-came in while I was trying to sleep," he stuttered through thick tears before swallowing and continuing to pour his secrets out to Shiro, "he pinned me down, wouldn't take no for an answer. He, he, god Shiro, I c-can't even say it! It hurt so much and he left me there, covered in his mess and bruises. And I had no, nowhere to go. So I stayed until two weeks ago. He beat me and p-pulled a gun on m-me and I panicked and set him on fire and ran. I c-can't. I don't know what to do anymore."

Terrified sobs tore roughly from Keith's throat as he explained his story to Shiro. Suddenly conscious of his half naked body he curled into himself and cried into his knees. He heard Shiro step towards him and felt as the man sat beside him.

"Can I hug you?" The question was posed gently with understanding that if Keith wasn't ready then that was fine. Keith nodded into his knees and felt as Shiro wrapped an arm around his side pulling him against his strong, warm body.

"He can't hurt you anymore, Keith," Shiro whispered against Keith's hair, "We won't let anyone hurt you ever again. I won't let anyone hurt you. You're safe here, I'll protect you."

Keith looked up into Shiro's earnest face as tears dripped off his chin before he wrapped his own arms around the man and pressed his face into his chest. They sat together on the bathroom floor until Keith calmed down enough to stand and Shiro guided him back out into the living room with an arm still wrapped around his shoulders.

It took a moment for Keith to realise the living room was filled with a pregnant kind of silence. When he looked up he saw not just Lance but Hunk, Pidge and Allura sitting there too, various looks of concern and worry splashed across their faces. A deep blush spread across his cheeks and he protectively crossed his arms, blinking back tears as he realised that they had heard the entire conversation he'd shared with Shiro. Shiro gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as Allura stood up.

"Shiro's right you know, Keith," she said with carefully chosen words, "You're family, we're never going to let anyone hurt you again."

"Yeah!" Pidge and Lance cried fiercely as Hunk nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, guys," Keith responded shyly after taking a deep, soothing breath.

The rest of the day was spent curled up in the lounge room. Keith pressed against Shiro's side while they all watched movies together and more plans for Christmas were formed that included input for what Keith would want to do too. Slowly, Keith thought to himself, maybe they were becoming like a real family. Maybe time would heal his wounds.


	8. Of Christmas Carols and Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, complete and utter fluff.

Allura smiled at the homeless woman before her as she ladled soup into a clean bowl. The soup kitchen she donated her time to was always busiest this time of year as the chill of winter left more of the homeless population to seek out help. The older woman took the bowl with a grateful nod and breathed in the warm steam rising towards her nose before hurrying away to a nearby table to enjoy her meal. With the last of her soup gone, Allura took the empty stockpot back to the kitchens and handed it off to a kitchen hand to clean before taking the next pot out so she could continue her work.

It was seven pm when Allura finished her shift and took her leave with a wave to the other volunteers. She pulled the hood of her coat up over her white bun as she walked out the door and checked that her scarf was secure around her neck before pushing her mitten covered hands into her pockets. The cafe she was meeting Lance at was only two streets away and she hurried towards it, her light steps carrying her quickly towards her destination.

The small cafe was warm and cheery, a fireplace burning brightly in the far corner, with small tables, comfortable chairs and the robust aroma of coffee. As Allura stepped inside Lance waved at her from their usual table against the far wall. A smile graced her lips as she weaved her way over to the bronze skinned man, his blue eyes soft as he smiled back to her. She could still feel warmth spread through her chest every time she received one of those smiles though she could remember a time when the smiles had been fake and she'd thought of the man she loved as shallow and vapid.

"Mi amor, how did it go?" Lance asked as soon as Allura reached their table.

"It went well though it was as busy as ever with all the snow we've been having of late," replied Allura as she leant in to kiss Lance softly on the cheek.

Lance nodded with understanding as Allura sat down across from him and hailed the waiter to their table. They ordered their usual, a couple of chai lattes and a spicy BBQ chicken pizza to share, while holding hands over the table. Christmas carols played in the background and the fire crackled as Allura focused on the feeling of Lance's warm hand in hers.

"Do you think Keith likes Christmas carols?" She suddenly asked with wonder. She doubted the guy had ever had a chance to enjoy the simplicity of them and bask in their melodies.

"I doubt it, though maybe he hasn't been given the chance," replied Lance, his train of thought following hers, "maybe we can do that! Play carols at the party and see if there's any he enjoys."

"That sounds like a good idea."

Allura smiled warmly as Lance brushed his thumb over her knuckles and together they quietly sung to the tune of the carols playing around them. When their meal arrived they broke apart, Allura's need for food more desperate than her romantic desires. She hummed with delight at the first bite of pizza, relishing in the delicate mix of heat and spices. She devoured two slices of the pizza in rapid succession before slowing down to savour the rest.

When their meal ended Allura flagged down the waiter again and asked for the check. As usual Lance made a fuss about allowing him to pay but she just smirked and handed the waiter her credit card, ensuring the young man took her decent sized tip. As the waiter handed her back her card with a grateful thank you she nodded to him with a smile and thanked him for the wonderful service.

Allura once again pulled her hood over her bun as she stepped out of the cafe and linked her arm with Lance's. Leaning against each other for warmth they walked along the snow coated streets.

"My place tonight," Allura suggested quietly.

"Sure," agreed Lance as Allura rested her head against his shoulder.

It didn't take long for them to make their way to the high rise building that Allura called home. Her penthouse apartment took up the top floor of the Altean Enterprise building. Her father had been the CEO until an accident caused the deaths of both her parents. Having been ten years old at the time her father's best friend and business partner, Coran, had taken over the business until she was old enough to chose what she wanted to do with her life. When she had come of age, she had decided to follow a humanitarian path and left Coran in the role of CEO while she helped those less fortunate.

Tapping the button for the elevator, Allura turned to Lance and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pressed her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. She felt the brush of his lips against her hair as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The shrill ding of the elevator announcing its arrival caused them to break apart much to her disappointment.

Pressing her hand against the biometric scanner Allura pressed the key for the penthouse and resumed her place leaning against Lance while she waited. The ride to her penthouse always felt like it took too long but gradually the seconds ticked by and the elevator ground to a halt. The elevator let them out into a small lobby where they walked over to the front door. Pressing her hand against another scanner and entering a key code into the digital lock, she was able to access the space for her key. She pushed the key into the doorknob and twisted it to open as soon as it clicked to unlock.

Allura pulled off her outer layers, throwing them over the living room couches, as she stepped into the penthouse. With a clap of her hands the wall lights turned on emitting a soft blue glow. She turned to Lance as he dropped off his coat and wrapped her arms around his neck again. His reciprocating embrace was all she needed as she pushed up onto the tips of her toes and brushed her lips against his. As their kiss deepened Lance bent down towards her and wrapped a hand around the base of her neck pulling her further against him.

"Shall we head to bed?" Lance asked softly as they broke apart for air.

Allura hummed her agreement, grasping his hand and guiding him to her bedroom. The same soft blue light glowed throughout her room, a king sized bed framed by layers of white netting stood against the far wall, and dozens of soft cushions were piled in a corner upon a plush rug. Pulling Lance into her bedroom sent a blush heating her cheeks despite the many times they'd stayed together before. She quickly turned and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

"I'm too tired for anything tonight," she said as she tried to stifle a yawn that was sneaking its way out of her mouth, "I'd love some cuddles though."

"It would be my pleasure, Princess," Lance responded, the pet name causing her blush to further darken across her cheeks.

Together they got ready for bed, Lance completing his night time face washing routine and brushing his teeth as Allura had a quick shower and changed into her night gown. While she was brushing her teeth Lance crept behind her and pressed a feather light kiss against the nape of her neck. She giggled with her toothbrush still between her teeth and swatted him away gently. Once finished with her own nightly ritual she wandered back into her bedroom to find Lance laying upon her bed in a pair of long, blue and yellow plaid pyjama pants and playing games on his phone.

With a wide grin at the sight of the man she loved, Allura crawled into the bed herself, pulling the blankets over them both, and rested her head upon Lance's chest. Lance moved to accommodate her lithe body pressing against his, putting his phone away, and wriggling to wrap his arms around her.

"Te amo, Allura," Lance whispered into her hair, pressing soft kisses against her temple.

"Je t'aime aussi," replied Allura quietly snuggling closer into Lance's arms her voice thick with the sleep that had crept upon her mind.

Falling asleep together was the best part of her day, even if it couldn't always happen, Allura would seek Lance's warm embrace as often as she could. Her last thought before succumbing to sleep were of her hope that one day they would be able to do this every night.


	9. Run!

Five days before Christmas found Keith walking down the streets of the town he'd been staying in since running from his foster family. He was out alone for the first time since the incident, trying to find gifts for his new friends as a thank you for all their care. The day was clear and crisp, without a cloud in the sky, and the sun shone weakly on the frozen earth. People had flooded the streets to do last minute shopping for the holidays.

Keith wandered aimlessly down the streets, flitting from shop to shop, seeking meaningful presents. After looking through dozens of shops he eventually came to the conclusion that he really wasn't very good at the whole gift buying thing and settled on a collection of scarfs, identical except for the colours. Content with his decision he left the store with a bag of neatly wrapped gifts as well as a new, matching, red plaid scarf for himself. A smile twitched to life at the corners of his mouth, delicate yet substantial in its existence. The bruises on his face had finally faded only a few yellowing patches remaining. His white hair was pulled up into a small pony tail revealing his delicate facial structure.

Keith blew into his gloved hands, his breath gently heating them, and rubbed them together as he hurried down the street on his way back to Shiro's apartment. He was halfway home when he spotted them. A tall, broad shouldered man with a face covered in healing burns and a petite woman with sharp features walked arm in arm towards him. He stopped in his tracks as he recognised his foster parents. His heart thundered dangerously in his chest and his vision tunnelled around him. He stumbled backwards just as they looked up. The surprise that flitted across their faces was quickly replaced with irate sneers of repulsion.

Keith turned abruptly and ran across the street. Car horns bleated as he fled into the slowly moving traffic and sprinted the rest of his way to the apartment. Fear shrouded his mind and clouded his vision but as he took slow deep breaths and urged himself to calm down he slowly came back to himself. The fear was replaced with a tentative yet determined calm. He needed to leave, if his foster parents found him here they'd hurt his friends or report them to the government, he had to protect the people he'd come to care about.

Taking a final calming breath Keith entered the apartment and found it empty. Shiro was probably still at work he realised as he headed towards the spare room he'd been staying in. He rapidly gathered his knapsack and a few clothes that he would need before heading into the kitchen where Shiro kept a notepad and pen. There he quickly scribbled down a note, leaving the bag of gifts upon the bench beside it, before heading out the door.

Keith sighed deeply as he made his way down the streets towards the local pine forest. He'd heard stories of abandoned cabins in the forest and figured they might make a good hideaway until he could come up with a better plan. Entering the frozen forest gave him a small sense of peace. It was like being in another world, a place where it was just him and his thoughts, and for a few moments he could be free from the confines of his life. The serenity surrounded his scarred soul as he walked across the path and deep into the centre of the forest. His mind revelled in the quiet damp, and he trudged on, away from civilisation.

 

*******

 

Shiro's jaw cracked as he yawned. His shift at the local florist had started early and while he loved the work he was glad to be heading home. The chance to just sit down and relax with Keith and Kuro left a pleasant burst of warmth unexpectedly blooming in his chest and he smiled to himself as he hurried home. The cool breeze of the early afternoon was buffeting his bangs around annoyingly as he jogged home so despite the extra exertion he drew in his power and willed the breeze to avoid his face. As his bangs dropped back to their normal place he grinned wider, eager to be home again.

"Hey Keith," Shiro called out brightly as he stepped into the apartment, kicking off his boots and draping his damp jacket over an arm of the coat stand.

Silence met his greeting which was unexpected but not completely out of the ordinary so he wandered over to Keith's open bedroom door and poked his head in only to be met with an empty room. Keith's backpack was missing and the wardrobe doors were thrown open. Some of his clothes were gone as well.

Unease settled into Shiro's belly as he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Allura. Maybe she'd know where Keith had gone. As he entered the kitchen he noticed a bag of neatly wrapped gifts resting on the kitchen bench. Curiousity peaked he looked into the bag and read the names on the gift tags. A smile danced across his lips as he read the names and realised to whom they were for. His notepad caught his eye from where it sat next to the bag of gifts, the pen beside it knocked from its usual place, and his smile dropped from his face as he read the note.

 

_Shiro,_

_I know you said you'd protect me but I have to leave. It's the only way I can protect you._

_Keith_.

 

Shiro's stomach dropped to the floor, his heart flopped listlessly against his chest, and his eyes went wide with shock. Darkness threatened the edges of his vision as his breaths began to grow laboured. Suddenly he was thrown back to the war, back to an IED exploding in his troop's face and back to his rapid pull of power as he cocooned the explosion within the air and forced it away. The only damage his troop sustained was to his right arm as it tore off, the edge of the explosion catching the limb, his barely controlled surge of power unable to prevent the loss.

Shock quickly enveloped Shiro, panic blinding him as blood gushed forth from his severed limb. His heart thundered dangerously in his chest beating bruises against his rib cage. His breaths came in sharp, ragged gasps where they stabbed violently into his lungs. A brief sensation of soft hands pinning him in place as darkness swam across his vision and swallowed him whole.

"Shiro, Shiro, you need to breathe. In and out, in and out, in and out," called a gentle voice from just above him, "Focus on my voice Shiro, in and out, in and out, in and out."

The sweet, melodic mantra continued on as Shiro concentrated on the voice and focused on the instructions. His breathing gradually smoothed out, growing even, as other sensations returned to his body. He was curled into a ball, arms wrapped around his head, rivers of tears had left dried tracks down his cheeks forming an ocean upon his chest. Allura was crouched down beside him. Concern filled her eyes as she waited patiently for him to collect himself.

"What happened?" She inquired gently as she realised he was lucid once again.

Wordlessly, Shiro held out the note which by now had been crumpled within his fist. He watched as Allura read the note and gasped. A hand flew up to cover her mouth in surprise. She looked between Shiro and the note, then to the gifts on the kitchen bench, then back to Shiro.

"Right," she said firmly, "Time to call Pidge and the boys. We have a family member to find."

Shiro gazed up at Allura as she drew herself to her full height. A regal determination suffused her features. She pulled out her phone and was quickly dialling a call as Shiro stood up with weakened legs and a bone deep exhaustion.

"Lance," he could hear Allura saying with a serious voice, "Keith ran away. Shiro and I believe something happened and he might be in danger. Tell Hunk and Pidge that we need to find him."

Shiro moved to sit at the table with his head resting against crossed arms. He shut his eyes and just listened to Allura make concise plans to track Keith down. The sweet lull of her voice eased his exhausted mind into the dark abyss that was sleep allowing him a moment of reprieve.

Allura sighed as she hung up the phone, placing it down on the table and sitting down beside the sleeping giant snoring softly at the dining table. Kuro crept in from where he had been hiding with a quiet meow and jumped onto her lap, purring gently as he settled himself in comfortably with her stroking his fur. Together they waited as minutes ticked by, slow and sticky like tar, for the others to arrive and begin their official search party.

 

*******

 

Night crept up on Keith. Inky darkness filled in the space between the frozen pine trees. He trudged on carefully through the forest as he headed for an old camp ground he had found while googling the area. His breath billowed out of his mouth in thick clouds as he made his way towards the clearing he was seeking. Leaning against an old pine he allowed himself a moment of rest, pulling out his phone before he remembered that he'd turned it off so he couldn't be tracked as easily. The snapping of boots on twigs set him off again. Dragging himself away from the tree he ran away from the crunching sounds that had been following him ceaselessly, onwards into the cold darkness of the winter night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sporadic updates! I've just started a new full time job on top of my uni work so I'll be quite busy until January 25th when my uni trimester ends. 
> 
> Thank you for reading despite my random updates, I promise to try and get more up asap!

**Author's Note:**

> First fanfic written for Voltron - thank you for reading!
> 
> Feel free to drop me a comment and let me know what you think, I'll also be posting to my tumblr @memoirs-of-jane
> 
> Written with Christmas prompts from @butterbunmilk


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